[mesa]

I have to start this with a bit of a rant. Why, when we live in the richest nation in the world, why is it so hard to get insurance when you need it? Why is healthcare so expensive?

I had a D&C in March. Pathology came back, said it was a possible partial mole. I went for 3 weekly blood draws, everything seemed to be going smoothly. Then I lost my AHCCCS health insurance, due to a technicality, and was unable to get it back. I didn't go for any more draws after that.

I've been relying on HPTs, as of today they are still showing positive. Monday before last, I had a strange case of bleeding. I haven't had AF since the D&C, btw. I was driving in my car, and all of a sudden, I was covered in blood. My jeans (to my knees) and the car seat were instantly soaked. I went to the bathroom, and passed a hand-sized clot, and the bleeding stopped.

Last Friday, I woke up with more bleeding. Heavy, which ended with the passing of another large clot. Then it stopped. Saturday morning, about 10:30 am, I was out with friends, when the bleeding started again. I didn't even have time to run to a porta pottie before the blood was down my legs (I was wearing a dress). I hid in the porta pottie forever, waiting for the bleeding to slow, and it just ran out of me like a miscarriage. Finally it let up enough for me to wad up a huge ball of toilet paper and face my friends, to let them know I had to go. They didn't even know about the mc, let alone the mole diagnosis. I was literally covered in blood, and terrified everyone who saw me. I dashed home, and the bleeding stopped before I even got into my car.

I know I need to see a doctor. We have no insurance, no hope of getting insurance, and no money to boot. I'm terrified that I'm really, really sick, and the treatment is going to cost thousands. I can't even afford a blood draw at the lab. I can't find anything on the internet that says anything about this wacky bleeding I've been having. My OB says I have to get blood drawn no matter what, and I just can't figure out a way to pay for it.

I'm so scared. Have any of you ever heard anything like this? Do any of you in AZ know of any resources that can help me? I know my ER will look at me like I have a third head, since I'm not bleeding right now, and besides, they can't administer the treatment for trophoblastic disease. It's not something I can get a one time fix for, it's ongoing, for months, and very expensive.

: Thanks for any advice you can give me.

 

[mwherbs]

so you can not get ACCCHS ever again? I would guess at a certain point of not being able to get paid that the hospital would sign you up and be sure to get paid-- in any case my sister before she was medicaid elligable qualified at a low income clinic- they wanted proof of residence and how much you have as income-- then they tell you how much each visit will cost and it is far less then the usual medical bills--- including labs--- I would guess there is a clinic like that up where you live.
the thing is that tropoblastic disease can be cancerous-- this is just not something that you should blow off..

 

[mesa]

we make too much for AHCCCS. We're in that gray area of making too much, yet not making nearly enough to be able to pay for insurance on our own. DH's employer doesn't offer coverage (hardly anyone up here does). And even if, by some miracle, we could afford private insurance, they most likely would not pay for this, because it would be a pre existing condition.

We don't have any low income clinics that I know of. We have periodic wellness clinics, but they just do paps and breast exams and things like that. I called the County health department, but it will be 4 or more weeks before I can even get in there.

I suppose I'll go to the ER tomorrow, although I really don't know what they will do for me. Even if they did an hCG test, it wouldn't do any good because they need levels over a period of time. I guess I can do that, and then throw myself on the mercy of my ob/gyn, and hope they will work with me.

It's so freaking stressful. Only 5% of partial molar pregnancies go on to be something more serious, and I guess I just had to be in that statistic, since I don't have health insurance. I tried to just put faith in my body's ability to heal itself, and I believed that everything would be fine in the long run, but it seems like whatever can go wrong will go wrong for me.

Sorry for the vent. I don't have a diagnosis of trophoblastic disease, btw. I'm just concerned that that's the way it's going. For all I know I could have had a third miscarriage, even though we have only had sex twice since March and we used protection both times.

 

[cfiddlinmama]

Our hospital has a financial aid program. If you qualify (and it is very generous criteria) they will cover your bills 100%. I've had to use it a few times and it was wonderful. Maybe your hospital has a program like that?

I'm really sorry for your loss and for all the scary stuff that's happening to you. I hope you get some answers soon.

 

[mwherbs]

here is a PDF file on uninsured clinics- don't know if you will find anything that will help or not

http://www.azchildren.org/MyFiles/PD...h%20Manual.pdf

also at a certain point medical expenses will overcome what ever income you do have that places you above the limit-- then you would be elegible
-------------------------------------------------------------
also when paying cash- the bill will seem very very inflated if you can pay 1/2 the full amount they are charging you say so- they most likely will take it--
-------------
more than Hcg level you probably also need a pap-- an appointment with a gyn specialist is who you need to see

 

[JunipersMom]

Go to the ER and get yourself checked out. Find a public hospital and they will take you no matter what. Then they will send in a worker to help you find any assistant available to you or other payment options... because the hospital wants to get paid

No matter what the costs - it's worth it if it is something serious or even life threatening.

 

[prairiemommy]

I'm so sorry about your miscarriage!

I have no advice on the insurance thing, as I live in Canada. The only thing I wanted to say was if you bleed like that again, you should take yourself immediately to the ER (even if you've already been and the bleeding stops) without changing clothes to at least get the blood loss documented.

I hope you heal soon.

 

[mwherbs]

upon consideration I wanted to add and mind you this would be adjunctive care because I think you should get yourself in for some follow up tests and possibly some chemo-therapy that they give for throphoblastic disease. Now I have another question- could you possibly be pregnant? if so then bleeding could be a sign of ectopic pregnancy---

I had a friend who had a very very rare uterine cancer- things that she did to keep living were herbal - herbs to support her liver- because liver helps the body to sort hormones and detox-- she used milk thistle and burdock root
she also used verbena for some lymphatic support ( if you can walk walking or swimming actually moves lymphatic fluid around more efficently than any substance you could take) and she basically ate a macrobiotic diet except she did eat some fresh veggies and berries like huckelberries, elderberries, raspberries
she occasionally used red root as well--

 

[mesa]

Well, I finally got my ob's office to call me back, and went for a quant level. I really like the NP there, but wow. She called me back today, said, congratulations, you're pregnant.

I said, no, I'm not. Yes you are...your levels indicate you're 2 weeks pregnant. I said...do you have my chart? She said yes....your last quant shows less than 5. So you're pregnant. I said, uhhh, my last quant was over 3,000. I think you're looking at the first miscarriage, in January. She ruffles some papers, says, oh right.....April first, you were 6700, April 7th you were 3500.

Oh yes, and she was the one who called and told ME about the molar pregnancy. And I saw HER for all the visits I went to, she was at my ultrasounds for both pregnancies/miscarriages. So it's not like she was unfamiliar with my case.

THEN, she says there is nothing to be concerned about. My levels are 116. Despite the bleeding, and that it has been MONTHS and my levels still haven't gone down, she said I will be negative by next month. To keep peeing on sticks until it shows negative.

Then, she told me to go ahead and TTC in July. Sheesh. So here I am, back at square one. Somehow I knew something like this would happen. Can you imagine if I'd gone to the ER instead? They are even more clueless than the ob's office.

I guess that's what happens when you're uninsured.

 

[3daughters]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mesa Then, she told me to go ahead and TTC in July. Sheesh. So here I am, back at square one. Somehow I knew something like this would happen. Can you imagine if I'd gone to the ER instead? They are even more clueless than the ob's office.

Not a health care professional but my friend just had a scare with a molar pregnancy. She understood that after a molar pregnancy TTCing should be put off for a year.

 

[kaylee18]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mesa went for a quant level. I really like the NP there, but wow. She called me back today, said, congratulations, you're pregnant. I said, no, I'm not. Yes you are...your levels indicate you're 2 weeks pregnant. I said...do you have my chart? She said yes....your last quant shows less than 5. So you're pregnant. I said, uhhh, my last quant was over 3,000. I think you're looking at the first miscarriage, in January. She ruffles some papers, says, oh right.....April first, you were 6700, April 7th you were 3500. Oh yes, and she was the one who called and told ME about the molar pregnancy. And I saw HER for all the visits I went to, she was at my ultrasounds for both pregnancies/miscarriages. So it's not like she was unfamiliar with my case. THEN, she says there is nothing to be concerned about. My levels are 116. Despite the bleeding, and that it has been MONTHS and my levels still haven't gone down, she said I will be negative by next month. To keep peeing on sticks until it shows negative. Then, she told me to go ahead and TTC in July. Sheesh. So here I am, back at square one. Somehow I knew something like this would happen. Can you imagine if I'd gone to the ER instead? They are even more clueless than the ob's office. I guess that's what happens when you're uninsured.

You are right, she is clueless. I had a cmp, and I know more about molar preg than my OB as well. And I've given up on any hope that any physician I see (no matter how regularly) will ever remember anything about my history or ever actually read my chart. I'm insured, btw. I don't think it has helped my quality of care any. My OB is not about to become less ignorant just because I have medical coverage. Though it does enable me to get the monthly jab, for which I am thankful.

The good news is that your hCG quant does appear to be going down. I sincerely doubt it will be negative next month (which, depending on the pee stick you use, would be anywhere from <25 to <5). Mine didn't get to <5 for almost 4mos, then it stuck at 5 for a month and 3 for 10wks. OBs are used to regular miscarriages and births, after which hCG falls much faster (usually <5 within 6wks).

I think that NP should get what-for for advising you to go ahead and TTC. I might even report her to the medical board or the hospital directors. That's seriously bad advice she's giving. The least conservative advice these days is to wait 3mos after <5 hCG, in cases when it was a partial and if it took less than 8wks to get to <5 (which only happens in about half of cases, so it's quite common to take longer).

If I were you, I would abstain from sex until after a negative POAS. That way, you can be certain of the reason for a continued positive result if you do end up with one. Then I would use contraception carefully for another 3mos, then go ahead and TTC.

The bleeding is a concern but a case of recurrent mole should send the hCG much higher, at least above 400, from what I've read.